Automatic cylinder-cock



UNITED STATES PATENT )lt FIQCE.

AUTOMATIC CYLINDER-COCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed June 25. 1908. Serial No. 440,240.

To all whom it may eonrrrn:

Be it known that l. (mum-".5 5 .lISI-ZR, u citizen of the l'niti-d States residing: ill '21- tel'iowu, in the vomit) ol'ilell'ersou and State of New York. have invented rertiiin new and useful Improveuu-uts in Automatic Cylinder (belts, of whirh the following is u spet-ilirution.

This invention relates to improvements in cylinder (0(h5. designed for use in eonneetion with strum engines generally. and the mvention relates port ir-ulurly to it Furl; lor employt n the eyiimlem of ptiz'tuhlt and stationary engines, for the purpose of automatirnll draining the water produred h) the condensation of the steam.

The objert of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, durable and relinhle selfnrtuig ryhnder rock. partn-uhu-ly adopted for draining water from the ryhndem of loro- T motives. and wherein the construction and arrangement of the parts are such tlutt. the devire will Bl'fDlll] its work effectively and rendily, \vit inut attention or rare. and will i stand ronsidernhle wear and abuse and not get out of order.

rupahle of being unmet-ted to the rylinders of an engine with slight work and expense.

The invention further consists of a sphere disposed in the said casing and (21pm ble of being seated uutonuttienlly to prevent I the escape of steam from the cylinder while the engine is working, and adapted to gran-L V tote away from llS seat, for the purpose of allow v the water produced by ihe eondensing of i \e steam. to esrnpe from the cylinder instantly upon the shutting off of the steam [he said hall-valve being entire! 5 pressure.

ree from mechanical connections and entirely automatic in its operations both for;

opening and closing the rock. And the invention further ermsists of simple means for rightside View of the left cylinder of a, 1000- etrook or valve comprising a metallic ha] or t motive, showing :1 number of my uuiomulit' yliuder ro -lts oprrul ively applied In the some. Fig. 2 is u pi-l'sperlive \ll'tt, showing the ryliuder I'Ut'k complete; also showing the plunger uud o )el'nt lug-rod. I-ig. 3 is u reulnd vertical ougitudinul set-lion, showing 1 the roustrurliou :uul li-llil!l1't'l|l0lll ol' the priueipal pin-ts ol' the work; ulso showing," respertively, hy full and dotted llllt'fi the position of the spherical valve in rlosed and open position; also showing the plunger in relation to the hull. Fig. 4 in u tl'()\'\--Llll01l substantiio'lj it: on line 4--i of Fig. 0. Fig. 5 is a, de 2 tail t-ross-sertiml suhstuntinlly on line 5 of E Fig. 2; showing the au'rungemeut of the exhaust mil in relation to the exhaust rimm- 1 her. 1g. 6 is ndettul view of the plunger and a portion of the opemting-rod.

Similar numeral:- of reference are nssigned to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In all steam engines after they have been in operation for a time, and the steam ressure is s-zhul, off, a certain amount 0 the vapor remains in the cylinders, which in a short time condenses and forms water. In Cltlii w imurr- Lincriiitriuub lL-Hll Haiti urking I of such an engine. the cylinders must he kept V free from water resulting from the cooling and condensing of ti? steam, and to this end the cylinders of 1 ll steam engines are I equipped with pet or I rain l:t')t'l(t-.', which are l applied to the underside of the cylinders, usually at or near the ends, so that the water i may gravitate into the (ticks and then be discharged in n. suitable manner to the atmosphere. Herelofore, the cylinder cocks emplayed for this purpose, particularly in coni motion with the cylinders of locomotives, i generally consisted of a simple reciprocating cheek-valve, which required the personal and frequent attention and care of the engiuser, who was obliged to open the cock and drain the cylinders each time before he started up the en' ine, to prevent the straining or bursting of t- 1e cylinder heads. I It is an objloct of the present invention to i 'n'ovide. n cy inder cook for employment in connection with both port-tilde and stationary steam engines, which will automatically discharge the water produced by the condensution of the steam, when the engine is not in operation. The construction and arrangement of the parts of the device being such that, the cock opens instantly without any zwistiuu-e, when the steam firessuro is I hhut oil and remains in that com ilion until i closed by the ]Jl'(' -':-ll1'(5 whon it is again turned ulllu the cylinders. The following is u dulnil tlloll'llll'lull of my invention:

lo the m-compum'ing drawings, 2 rcprcj sent it cylinder, which for the purpose of illustrating my ilfl'entioli preferably roprescnts one of the steam cylinders of a locon otire, which may be constructed in any suitable manner, and provided with u piston and other pltlth common to a steam cylinder. 3 roprvzenls a number of threaded ports or openingin the bottom of the cylinder for carrying oil the water. 'lhcsc ports are u$uelly disposed at or near the ends of the cylinder. and in some cases, a like port is located midway between the. ends of the cylinder, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

My automatic cylinder cock comprises a, chambered body, preferably made of brass, castin one part, as shown, and having an enlarge-d cylindrical portion 5, forunnF the valve casing, and an elongated intcgra neck 1;, formed concentric to the casing 5. 7 represents an integral threaded portion formed on the upper slde of the casing 5, by means of which the rock is dctarhebly connected to ports 3 of the cylinder. The threaded con nection T is bored out centrally lo formafrcc and unrestricted port 8, through which the steam and water may pass from the cylinder into a. cylindrical valve chamber 9 of the casing 5. 10 represents a free ball or is hericnl valve, preferably solid and made of tassor bronze,n'hioh is disposed in the chamber 9, as xhmrn in Figs, 2 smrl 4, 11 ggnrgggnts a contracted cylindrical chamber formed partly in the casing 5, and partlv in neck 6 and connecting to the inner end of, and disposed concentric to, the valve chamber 9; the month of chamber 1 1 being slightly beveled or countersunk to form an annular seat 12 for the ball. The outer end of the valve chamber 9 is tightly closed by a threaded cop-nut or plug 13, which is provided for the purpose of nieerting the ball, and for cleaning out or repairing the cock.

The ball chamber 9 havin a larger diameter than the exhaust chamber 11, and the two chambers being concentric, the ball 10 when in released or idle position, as ind coted by the dotted lines in F 3, rests upon the floor of chamber 9 in sue manner that its horizontal axis is slightl eccentric to or below the axial whine of sai chambers. F r0111 this position the ball must be lifted bodily, free from the floor of chamber 9, in order to reach and enter its seat, to prevent the passage of steam from chamber 9 into chamber 11, during the working of the engine. In order to facilitate the seating of valve 11 in a. ready and positive manner, by

holding the bull in soul; 12.

= position be unseat ball 10, when moved the force of the steam pressure, the inlet port. 8 is inclined OlItWBJ'I. ly at its lower end,

us at; 8, so that the force of the pressure ontcring chamber ll from the cylinder nmv at all times be directed against the rear Bllll of the hull, for the purpose of driving and To give the pressure coming through port H a greater purchase on the bull, IL cnvit y is formed in the inner face of plug 13 concentric-to (-lnunbars 9 and ll wlulo the ball when in its idle position on the lloor of its ehunibcr lies in a lower plane. hen the ball is in this position am open space occurs between the upper rear side of the hull and dug 13 (as shown in Fig 3) which ierinils t 1e steam to pass between the bull and the plu to thereby lift and force the ball l'orwminto its seat, where it. will be held until the pressure is relaxed or shut oll' entirely. By this arrangement, whether the ball is unsealed or sealed, the force of the pressure is constantly exerted against the rear side of the ball. As long as the pressure overbalanccs the weight of the ball, the latter will renuiin seated and prevent escape of either steam or water from chamber 9 w chamber 11. discharge the water which flows from the cylinder into chambers 9 and 11 after the steam pressure is shut off, and the ball 10 gmvitates away from seat. 12, I rovide a normally 016D exhaust port, pro crably in the form 0 an oblong pass e 14, disposed at an angle of about 45 'l he inner end of this port connects with chamber 11 to the right of seat 12, and the outer end termimates in a projecting nozzle 15 which is formed integrally with the neck 6. The port: 11 are oscz. in such manner as to completely drain chamber 11, (see Figs; 4 and 5), and when the cylinder cocks are uplied to a locomo "re, the water received mm the cylinders discharged underneath the engine instead of outwardly away from the track as heretofore. To this end it. is therefore preferred in constructing my automatic cylinder cooks for use on locomotives, to make them right and left handed. The neck or laterally extending rtion 6 of the body, is bored out central y, as at 18, to operatlvely receive a. reel roca'ting lunger 19, the inner end of whic is rouncliad and extends some distance into the cavity 1 Lin 1nwardly a short distance. The plunger 19 is preferabl made as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, and rigir y secured to the sides of an o )eratlug-bar or rod 20, by a, series of be ts or screws 21. The bar 20 is held in operative position, and has free play in a slotted lug 23, which is formed integrally with the casing 5. The pl or is bent or formed at a suitable an le to ring its inner or free and parallel to 1e bar 20, and the slotted lug 23 serves as a guide for rod 20 to hold the plunger in true alinement to the valve case. :1 practice, one bar 20 usually supports two or more of the plunge-rs 19, employed for operating us many cylinder cocks (see Fig. 11) and this bar ronnects with an operating rod (not shown), which extends back into the cob within coiwenicnt rein-h of the eninccr. The object of this letter provision is to ufiord a mcnns by which the engineer may unseat the bull 10, for the purpose of draining the cylinders in case of emergency, such as the ilooding of the boiler. Urdinnrily during the nornnil operation of the engine, Ilu attention or rare need be iven to the cylimh-r cocks, as they are entire y automatic in their operation both for opening and closing the discharge port. When the steam pressure is in the cylinders, the port 8 being normally open, as shown in the drawings, the pressure will force and hold the ball 10 against its sent 12, and thus prevent any waste or escape of steam to the atmosphere through exhaust ort 14. As soon as the steam pressure is shut oil from the cylinders, as by the closing of the throttle, the ballvalve, by its ouu weight and owing to the iosition and arrangement of seat 12 in reintion to the liner of chamber 9, will gravitntc away from the mouth of chamber 11 and roll outwardly against the plug 13, whenit will rcnuiin it rest on the floor of chamber 9, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig, 3. As soon as the bull'reccdes from its sent, any water that results from the condensetion of the steam, will gravitate from the lowest point in the cylinder, through port 8 into chamber 9, thence pass into chamber 11, and be discharged or wasted through the port 14.

Itis obvious that some changes or modificatlons may be made in the parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the precise construction and arran enent of the some as herein shown and escribed.

Having thus described my invention, What clnim as new and desire to secure by Letters atent, is

1. A cylinder cock, comprising a cylindrical body having a plurality of concentric chambers of unequal diameter and length, an inlet port to connect the larger chamber with the interior of a steam cylinder, an outlet port to drain the smaller chamber, and a spherical valve disposed in the larger chamber adopted to prevent or permit the passage of steam and water from one (1118.111-

er to the other.

2. An automatic cylinder cock,.eomprising a casing having a number of concentric chambers connecting with each other, and having a threaded neck for connecting said cock to a steam cylinder, a port for the possage of steam and water from the cylinderthrou h the threaded neck into the first chum er, a free ball-valve disposed in said from entering the second chamber, and

adopted when the steam pressure is shut of' to gravitate away from the mouth 0 said second hzimbcr to allow water to pass from the cylinder and said first chamber into nd second chamber, a normally open poft c6 necting with said second chamber adapted to carry the water away from said chamber, and a plunger operetively fitting said casing and disposed concentric to said chambers for unseuting said spherical valve by hand, in case of emergency.

3. An automatic cylinder cock, comprising a cylindrical body capable of being connected to the cylinder of a steam e inc by means of a tubular neck, a cylindrice valvechamber in said body disposed beneath and connecting with said tubular neck, an exhaust-chamber in said body disposed concentric to said valve-chamber, the said exhaust-chamber having a smaller diameter than the vslve chamber and having its mouth beveled to form an annular seat, a free ball valve in said vehemhamber, the said ball having a la! er diameter than said exhaust-chamber an ads ted to be forced and held into the seat by t 1e steam perssure,

thereby to rcvent the passage of steam from. the va V'Hl'llnibel into the exhaustchamber, the said ball adapted to gravitate away from its seat to permit the free passage of water from the cylinder into said exhaustchamber immediately the steam pressure is shut oil, and a port to drain the water from said exhaust-chamber.

4. An automatic pet-cock, comprisin a hollow cylindrical casing having a three. ed neck for connecting the casing to a steam cylinder, the hollow space in said casing being continuous and consisti of a valvechamber and en exhaust-chem er arranged concentric to each other, the mouth of said exhaustchamber being formed into an annular valve-so t, a, port to connect the valve-chamber wi the interior of the cylinder, :1 ort to drain the exhaust-chamber, a free bell-valve disposed in the valve-chamber adapted to close the mouth of said exhaustchember automatically u on the bhargin of the cylinder end said Va 've-chamber witE steam pressure, and adapted to gravitat away from the mouth of said exhaustchomber automatically upon the shutting off of the said pressure, and pl er dinposed in said casing concentric to sai valveseat for unseating the ball-valve by handilr case of emergency.

5. The combination with a. steam c linder havin a series of drainage rts in t e bottom 1; ereof, of a series 0 automatic pet cocks adapted for connection with the cylinder by means of,said ports leech pgt-cock comprising a provided et' ('encentrir cylindrical chambers, an unrestrictell inlet port to eminent one of said ehznnhers with the interior of the cylinder, a normally open exhaust-port to drain the sevund rhmnher, an ennuiar valve-seat formed between said chambers, and a free spherical valve dispused in said casing between said inlet port and said seat, adapted when acted u'un by the steam pressure to be carried an held in said seat to prevent the passage of steam from the first t0 the second chamber, the said valve adapted to l he imseeted by the force 01 gravity when the steam pressure is shut ell, thereby to peru'ait the water produced by the cimdensntiml u! i) through said exhaust-port.

In testnnuny whereof I elhx my slg'nitti'r in presence of two witnesses.

l the steam in the cylinder to he g lischergi-d l CHARLES E. MISE'R.

\Vitnesses:

EDGAR Bwunuueu, W. S. Srruuu'm. 

